10 Companies Making Cool Stuff Out of Our Trash

Classy not Trashy?  How about Classy and Trashy? Though it may seem impossible to find truly “eco” brands, there are plenty of products out there that are making a dent in the world’s landfills, streets, and oceans.  Did you know you can make purses from pineapples and shoes out of bubblegum?  These ten companies are innovative to say the least, and they are changing the world:

A SHOE MADE FROM RECYCLED GUM


Gumshoe – Tired of getting bubblegum stuck on your favorite shoes?  Gumshoe Amsterdam makes shoe soles out of recycled chewing gum collected off of the city streets.  Preorder your pair today–these poppin’ (*wink wink*) shoes are coming out in June 2018!

 

UNDERWEAR MADE FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES

Marc Skid – In addition to using organic pima cotton and donating a percentage of proceeds to various charities, Marc Skid makes underwear with one plastic bottle used to make each waistband.  Their designs are ‘boxer’esque, coming in red, green, blue, or white.  I mean… do we need any more reasons to get behind this brand?

 

“LEATHER” BAGS MADE FROM PINEAPPLE LEAVES

Svala – Svala, a Los Angeles company, makes handbags, lingerie, and sleepwear out of completely recycled materials, such as a leather-like material made out of pineapples called Pinatex and reclaimed factory surplus lace.

 

SHOES MADE FROM RECYCLED WATER BOTTLES

Adidas x Parley – Probably the most well-known eco-friendly line is the Adidas Parley line, made out of recycled water bottles taken from our oceans.  While there is a variety of shoes to choose from, the Parley line also includes cute workout tops and pants.

 

FLEECE MADE FROM RECYCLED SODA BOTTLES

Patagonia – Though it is widely known that Patagonia is eco-friendly with their Patagonia product recycling programs, not everyone is aware that they use recycled polyester produced from post-consumer soda bottles!  How cool is that?

 

SOAP BOTTLES MADE FROM RECOVERED OCEAN PLASTICS

Method – Method is an sustainable soap and cleaning product company that makes its bottles out of recycled post-consumer plastic bottles as well as ocean plastics.  They have also just released a line of body products for a more eco-friendly shower!

 

ACCESSORIES MADE FROM RECYCLED TIRES

Chic Made Consciously – Chic Made Consciously is a brand making bracelets, bags, necklaces, and belts out of recycled tires.  The intricate cutouts and designs in their products make them look stylish and unique–the perfect, edgy addition to any outfit (I’m looking at you, festival season!)

 

SWIMSUITS MADE FROM RECYCLED WATER BOTTLES

FINCH – Swimsuits made of water bottles?  Finch designs has created a super cute line of swimwear that is also eco-friendly and protects you from UVA rays as well.  Honestly, I need one of these for my next vacation!

 

SHOES KNIT FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC YARN

Rothy’s – Rothy’s is a shoe company with adorable pointed and rounded toe flats in an array of bright, fun colors.  The best part is that these shoes are made from recycled plastics that are spun into a yarn and 3D knit into shoes that are supposed to fit like a sock!

 

HOME DECOR MADE FROM RECYCLED PLASTICS

BottleCloth – If you’re looking for something other than eco-friendly fashion, stop by BottleCloth!  Their home decor–placemats, tablecloths, runners, napkins and more are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.  Cute and practical!

 

If you want to save the planet and get some cute items, all of these companies have amazing products to offer.  Many of the companies involved in making our trash into new treasures are fashion companies, which is important because the fashion industry is the second-most polluting industry in the world (second only to the oil industry).  That makes you think twice before spending money on fast fashion, right?

You’ll also notice that many of these products are made of post-consumer or ocean plastics.  Did you know that we have produced more plastics in the last decade than our predecessors did in the last century, and 8 billion tons of that plastic ends up in our oceans?

It’s not only important, but necessary that we make a change in the way we consume.  With all these chic brands I’m newly obsessed with, I may have made my Christmas list already…

News Reporter

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